A Servant

This week I'll be using the Osho Zen Tarot, created by Ma Deva Padma with Osho and published by St. Martin's Press. I'll also be using the A'HA Oracle, created and self-published by Linnie Lambrechtsen. The card draws for today are the Page of Swords (Mind) and Talisman:

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.

—William James

This card is a bit horrific, yet what would all the thoughts in our own mind look like? Tapes that play over and over the same thing? The Page of Swords has not yet learned that the mind is meant to be a servant, not our master. Our lives are shaped by our thoughts, especially when we're unaware of them and don't question whether they're fact or fiction. And as Iara Gassen warns, "Be careful of your thoughts, they may become words at any moment." Talisman is usually thought of as a magical item, but Linnie suggests this item can be anything that helps us remember what is important and maintain our focus. It might be a polished stone in our pocket or a silicone wristband - a great way to remember to pause and check on what our mind is up to.

Acting From Love

From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the Empress; from the Handl Rune Oracle, Kenaz:

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. ―Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Empress stands with her children for a family portrait, yet in truth she feels all beings are an extended family. She rules with a strong but tender heart, seeking to improve the well-being of all. The Empress understands that the kingdom will run smoother when no one is left behind. Kenaz is often translated as 'torch,' suggesting a light that brings clarity. Today, my family and I are participating in our local "Hands Off" political protest. Sometimes you have to raise a torch to shine a light on atrocities, especially when so many beings are negatively affected while a handful benefit.

Celebrating Steps

From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the Four of Spring (Wands); from the Handl Rune Oracle, Thurisaz/Thorn:

You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.

– Martin Luther King Jr.

Whether it's a rite of passage or progress achieved, the fairies are having a celebratory dance. The Four of Wands/Spring indicates a strong beginning towards a purpose or goal, marking the foundation with merriment. Such commemorations give us a chance to pause and appreciate the fruits our efforts so far and act as an encouragement to keep us going. It's like marking children's heights on the door frame so they can see how much they've grown. Thurisaz - a rune connected with giants and the pain of thorns - alerts us to the need to stand firm in the face of adversity and challenge. Remembering that we've met and overcome obstacles before can help us be resilient instead of stuck.

The world is dynamic and changing; therein lies its freshness. But our ideas about it tend to grow static and calcified, even our ideas about the most important things: who we are, how things are, why the world is the way it is. –Henry Shukman

A Wish for All

 From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the King of Swords; from the Handl Rune Oracle, Tyr/Tiwaz:

This is what I wish for all of us: that we live and act and love with a fierce and tender clarity.

―Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

The King of Swords does not make decisions based on his passions - he knows allowing our emotions, desires and opinions can color and cloud reality. What is actually true gets twisted out of shape, so not only are we unable to see clearly, we can't respond to it appropriately either. The King tells us to peel away those outer layers and see the core of the situation for what it is. Tiwaz represents the Norse god Tyr, known for sacrificing his hand for the greater good. Such sacrifice comes from the heart; it requires making an unselfish choice that will ultimately benefit the whole. This type of reasoning and offering are what create Goddard's "fierce and tender clarity."

Investment

From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the Two of Cups; from the Handl Rune Oracle, Othala/Odal:

 

The opposite of Loneliness is not Togetherness, it's Intimacy.

― Richard Bach

One-on-one time is the greenhouse that cultivates closeness, warmth and trust between two people. We allow ourselves to be vulnerable - revealing scars and fresher wounds but also laughing without reserve. We talk of worries as well as exciting plans for the future. We share our reality with each other. There is something special about having a friend or partner who knows not just our outer persona, but what our mind and heart dwell and rest on. Othala, often translated as 'estate,' symbolizes homeland, community, and heritage. While we can't pick our blood relations, we can choose our friends and partners. And one-on-one time is a great way to figure out if a relationship is one we want to invest our time, energy and emotion on.

Picking Up Information

From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the Herald/Page of Winter (Swords); from the Haindl Rune Oracle, Laguz:

Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.

―Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Herald of Winter is direct and bluntly honest. He warns people of things they need to know about and brings news of good things. Those pointy ears are like a radar, listening for whatever information he can pick up, which leads to him spilling the beans on some things that don't need to be aired. He's smart but not yet mature enough to be discerning. Laguz is generally translated 'water,' whether a lake, ocean or waterfall. The ancients looked upon it as a blessing and a danger: it could aid travel and supply food, but it could also cause drowning. Such vast expanses of water needed to be respected. Likewise, the ability to collate information is a talent, but the ability to discriminate between what is helpful and what is harmful is necessary. Just because we know it doesn't mean we need to tell it. 

A Few Perks

From the Victorian Fairy Tarot, the Three of Autumn (Pentacles); from the Handl Rune Cards, Nauthiz:

Not even Ares battles against necessity.

— Sophocles

The apple harvest has come in, and the fairies quickly get to work so that little is wasted. The elders could probably do these tasks blindfolded - having done them so often - but they teach the younger ones the steps of the process. It's hard labor, but when the snow falls, a cup of hot apple cider will be appreciated by all. Nauthiz is associated with need, hardship, and constraint that can encourage growth and transformation. Like Aesop's lesson of the ants and the grasshopper, adulting is not always fun, but it does have its perks.